The Hideaway Ranch and Refuge is located in the North Central Texas Hill Country between Glen Rose and Stephenville, with 11 private cabins, three-and-a half miles of hiking trails, several catch and release fishing ponds, a scavenger hunt, wildlife viewing, stargazing, front porch sitting and an “old Western town” common area. Co-owner Jason Niedziela, with his wife, Traci, says, “We have been operating as a guest ranch for 19 years. Four years ago, we decided to embrace sustainability and environmentalism. Traci has a master's degree in sustainable tourism from Arizona State University.”

The destination’s sustainable practices include using eco-friendly cleaning products and providing eco-friendly soaps and shampoos; a recycling program for guests to use and a compost program for guest use; and a level 2 electric car charger free for guest use. Whenever possible, they use recycled, eco-friendly or sustainable products such as ECO shampoo and conditioner, Biokleen, scent-free, phosphate-free laundry detergent, plant based cleaning products, organic coffee and tea, bamboo toilet paper, biodegradable trash bags, recycled paper towels, natural fiber sheets and blanket and Ecobotanics soap.

The ranch has a recycling center and asks guests to sort their waste and use the bins in their cabin, as well as place their biodegradable waste in the composter located by the recycle center. They converting the air conditioning units to a more efficient mini-split system and are in the process of converting the hot water heaters to tankless models.

They do not use herbicides, pesticides or fertilizers on the 150 acres and neither hunt, trap nor kill predators and wildlife. “We allow the native plant life to grow with minimal influence from humans. We have free-ranging animals, including native bison on the property and support the local tourist economy,” shares Jason. There is Wi-Fi in the office, but guests are encouraged to avoid stress, unplug and get outside as much as possible.

Hideaway is a charter member of the Humane Stewardship Alliance, (part of the Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust) which promotes protecting native plant and animal life. They are dedicated to preserving the ecosystem in as natural a state as possible and still allow people to enjoy it. “We leave large portions of our acreage completely unmolested, and the rest of the property we only mow once every year or two to control some of the invasive plant species (like cedars),” says Jason.

In each cabin there is a guest book that encourages guests to participate in the ranch’s sustainable practices, as well as ideas to take home and put into practice. Jason advises, “I believe our ranch/refuge gives our guests the opportunity to contribute to their own health and wellness by giving them the chance to recharge, relax, enjoy the peace and calmness of nature, and to disconnect from the rat race.” Guests are encouraged to contribute to the mission by recycling and composting their refuse and adopt those practices in their everyday life at home.

Jason recalls, “We began as The Hideaway Ranch and Retreat. Over the years, we have gone through many changes in our business and personal philosophy. In 2019, we decided to ‘be who we are’ and to focus on the native environment and sustainability. We changed our name to The Hideaway Ranch and Refuge. Our mission is to nurture the natural ecosystem and to provide an eco-friendly ranch experience to our guests. We provide a refuge for our human guests, our wildlife and our natural environment. We have adopted sustainable practices, utilize sustainable products and strive to be an example of good environmental stewardship. We encourage our guests to embrace these ideals and take the opportunity to sit on a porch or walk one of our trails, and experience the sights and sounds of nature.”

The Hideaway Ranch and Refuge is located at 1022 Private Road 1250, in Bluff Dale. For more information, call 254-823-6606 or visit TheHideawayRanch.com.